Modern Tree-House Residence Reflecting Its Surroundings in Isle of Wight, England

Located on a spectacular shoreline terrain, on the island of Wight in England, the Welch House by The Manser Practice appears to float within the neighboring trees. The modern tree-house resembles a dark-colored box in lightweight steel and timber, offering subtle reflections of the surrounding landscape due to its high gloss enamel finish. Designed to have a small physical footprint on the ground, the residence is partially sustained by a compact tear-shaped concrete tube created on 30 meter deep piles. Believe it or not, this concrete tube contains the utility room and shower room.

According to the architects, the residence replaces a former wrecked building on the site: “Ground conditions are notoriously unstable with blue slippery clay with rotating shelves underground. Foundations needed to be deeply piled and retained with soil nails and an early decision was to create a flat stable platform for a simple ‘box’ house raised on legs above the ground. This allowed for the simplest possible below ground solution, reduced the area of house that ‘touched’ the ground, avoided the need for complex and expensive multi level changes within the house whilst raising it tree-house like amongst the trees.” Ventilation and cross ventilation is provided by a series of floor level opening panels and roof lights. [Photography: Morley Von Sternberg]